150 years ago, the site of the Big Hole was a featureless, flat-topped hill. Then word spread that diamonds had been discovered. Soon thousands of prospectors, armed with nothing more than picks, shovels and hope, descended on Kimberley and created the largest hand-dug excavation in the world.
Digging commenced at the Kimberley Mine site in 1871. By the time mining ended on 14 August 1914, the mine had yielded 2,722 kilograms of diamonds, extracted from 22,5 million tons of excavated earth.The equipment used to process the diamond ore was housed in the Pulsator Building.
Visitors can see the old jigging machines and grease tables specially designed to extract the diamonds from the ore.Inside the Exhibition Centre the multi-faceted story of diamonds is revealed, the storyline covers the colonial history of South Africa and the sub-region, which entered a dramatic phase after the diamond rush.
A short film screened in an 65-seat theatre introduces visitors to the story of diamonds in Kimberley.Visitors are welcomed to The Real Diamond Display, housed in a vault. Among the gems on display is the famous 616 - named for its carat size. This is the largest uncut octahedron diamond in the world.The Old Town is a collection of historic Kimberley buildings that have been brought back to life and feature shops and food outlets open to visitors.
Opening hours:
Visitors Centre: Daily 08:00 - 17:00
Old Town: Daily 08:00 - 17:00
Tours conducted every hour from 08:00 - 16:00
